Moderate Activity Research Articles

Formulation of Biological Sunscreen from Calendula arvensis Capitula Extracts: Antioxidant, Anti-Aging, Surface Tension, and UVB Protection Properties Assessed

Skin protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation has long been crucial due to its role in photoaging, sunburn, and wrinkles. This study focuses on developing a bio-based sunscreen from Calendula arvensis capitula extract. Various extraction methods (maceration, sonication, and infusion) and solvents (EtOH, EtOH-H2O, and H2O) were explored in order to identify the most effective extract for use in a sunscreen formulation. Each extract was analyzed for its phenolic content, as well as antioxidant activities (assessed through DPPH, CAT, and FRAP assays). Enzyme inhibition assays for tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase highlighted the low IC50 values of the hydroethanolic extract. Furthermore, the in vitro sun protection factor (SPF) against UVB radiation was measured using ultraviolet spectrophotometry. A phytochemical analysis showed phenolic levels between 8 and 27 mg GAE/g, flavonoid concentrations of 7–13 mg QE/g, and tannin levels of 1.15–1.68 mg/mL, alongside moderate antioxidant activity. The ethanol maceration extract reduced the interfacial tension to 2.15 mN/m in 600 s, outperforming the conventional emulsifier polysorbate 20. The sonicated hydroethanolic extract demonstrated remarkable SPF efficacy (SPF = 193.65 ± 0.02), far exceeding that of the standard zinc oxide (SPF = 11.88 ± 0.03). The proposed formulations meet the COSMOS standards, suggesting their potential for certification as biological products. Further clinical and in vivo studies are necessary to confirm their safety and commercial viability.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Antifungal Properties of Bixa orellana L. Essential Oil from the Ecuadorian Amazon Against Candida albicans (ATCC 10231)

Essential oils are investigated due to their biological activity, and the Amazon rainforest, with its rich biodiversity, is a promising source of therapeutic compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the essential oil from the leaves of Bixa orellana as an antifungal agent, thus contributing to the search for alternatives that can address the growing resistance to conventional antifungals. B. orellana leaves were collected in the Ecuadorian Amazon and their essential oil was obtained by steam distillation. Their chemical composition was analysed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and their antifungal activity against Candida albicans was evaluated using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method (ATCC 10231), with nystatin as a positive control. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 60 compounds, the main ones being dihydroedulan (27.5%), β-caryophyllene (10.3%), nerolidol (7.21%), trans-β-bergamotene (5.73%), α-santalene (4.94%) and trans-α-bergamotene (4.26%). The essential oil showed moderate antifungal activity against C. albicans, producing an inhibition halo of 13 mm in diameter, which is 48% of the inhibition observed with nystatin (27 mm). The presence of sesquiterpenes, such as β-caryophyllene, known for its membrane-disrupting properties, probably contributes to the observed antifungal effects. The study highlights the potential of B. orellana essential oil as a natural antifungal agent; however, further research is required to evaluate its efficacy against a wider range of pathogenic fungi, its possible synergistic effects with conventional antifungals and its safety and efficacy in vivo.

Observation on the Gross and Histology of the Exocrine and Endocrine Pancreas in Large White Yorkshire Pig

Background: Islet transplantation is a potential treatment option for selected patients with type 1 diabetes. The limited supply of human islet from cadavers and poor islet yield remains a significant barrier to progress in the field. So, the use of porcine islets holds great promise for large scale application for the transplantation of the islet. The primary aim of this study was to describe the gross and morphological studies of the porcine pancreas to rule out its similarity to human pancreas. Methods: Pancreas was collected from eight apparently healthy Large White Yorkshire pig (6-7 months of age). The gross and morphological studies were analyzed by using different staining techniques. Result: The pancreas appeared as pale pink triangular lobulated gland located along the dorsal aspect of the abdominal cavity behind the stomach having exocrine and endocrine part. Histologically, two types of acinar cell were identified i.e. active and resting acinar cells. The islets were richly vascularized and were separated from the exocrine acini by a thin layer of collagen, elastic and reticular fibers which were seen extending into the interior of the islets. Mainly three types of cells were observed in islets i.e. alpha (A), beta (B) and delta (D) cells. Epithelial duct and secretory cells showed strong positive reaction for both Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and Alcian Blue (pH-2.5) whereas islets of Langerhans showed moderate activity for both.

Performance evaluation of CXCL10 ELISA “cosmic” kit to measure CXCL10 in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with HTLV‐1‐associated myelopathy

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to validate the clinical utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CXCL10 measurements in HTLV‐1‐associated myelopathy (HAM) using a CXCL10 ELISA “Cosmic” kit, a more widely applicable method than cytometric bead array (CBA).MethodsCSF CXCL10 levels were measured in 165 samples from 111 patients with HAM and 18 controls using a CXCL10 ELISA “Cosmic” kit. We assessed the following: (1) CSF CXCL10 concentrations by HAM activity level (high, moderate, and low) versus controls; (2) correlation with CBA; (3) cutoff values, sensitivity, and specificity for differentiating among HAM activity levels; (4) changes in HAM activity after steroid therapy; and (5) relationship between HAM activity and prognosis in patients undergoing steroid therapy. A correlation coefficient of ≥0.9 with CBA was the primary endpoint.ResultsThe median CSF CXCL10 levels in the high, moderate, low, and control groups were 4016.0, 841.0, 112.8, and 102.5 pg/mL, respectively. The ELISA findings were highly correlated with the CBA findings (r = 0.99). Cutoff values were set at 2500 pg/mL (sensitivity, 93.3%; specificity, 100%) to distinguish between high and moderate activity and 180 pg/mL (sensitivity, 81.8%; specificity, 100%) for low to moderate activity comparable to CBA. The new cutoffs enabled the detection of HAM activity changes and prediction of motor disability progression under steroid therapy.ConclusionCXCL10 ELISA “Cosmic” kit findings were strongly correlated with CBA findings, meeting the primary endpoint and demonstrating comparable sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing HAM activity. This product shows a promising ability to determine the therapeutic strategy.

Design and Synthesis of 1-(2-amino-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl) cyclohexanol Analogs as Potential Microbial Agents

1-(2-amino-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)cyclohexanol (1), on condensation with chloroacetyl chloride yielded 2-chloro-N-(2-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)acetamide (2), which on amination with hydrazine hydrate yielded in turn 2-hydrazinyl-N-(2-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)acetamide (3). Compound 3, on condensation with various aromatic aldehydes afforded a series of 2-(2-benzylidenehydrazinyl)-N-(2-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl)acetamides 4a-n, which upon dehydrative annulation in the presence of chloroacetyl chloride and triethylamine yielded 2-(3-chloro-2-oxo-4-phenylazetidin-1-ylamino)-N-(2-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl) acetamides 5a-n. The synthesized compounds 4a-g and 5a-g were screened for their antibacterial activity against four microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive), Bacillus subtilis (Gram positive), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram negative) and Escherichia coli (Gram negative). They were found to exhibit good to moderate antibacterial activity. The antifungal activities of these compounds were also tested against three different fungal species. None of them were active against the species tested.

Acetylcholinesterase/butylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activities of Substituted Chromenone Derivatives

3,6-Disubstituted-2H-2-chromenones 3a-l and 3,4,6-trisubstituted 2H-2-chromenones 3m & 3n were synthesized from 5-bromosalicylaldehyde 1 and 5-bromo-2-hydroxyacetophenone 5. Suzuki coupling of 5-bromosalicylaldehyde with various phenylboronic acids yielded 5-substituted salicylaldehydes 2b-l and these compounds were reacted with various β-ketoesters in presence of piperidine afforded substituted chromenone derivatives 3a-l in very good yields. The compounds 3m & 3n were prepared by Suzuki coupling of 2m. Synthesized compounds 3a-n were screened for in vitro AChE & BuChE activities and found that the compound 3n shown significant activity where as 3g, 3h, 3j, 3k & 3m compounds were shown moderate activity of AChE. The compound 3d shown potent activity, where as 3c & 3m shown moderate activity of BuChE and the results were compared with the standard drug Galanthamine.

In Vitro Evaluation, Chemical Profiling, and In Silico ADMET Prediction of the Pharmacological Activities of Artemisia absinthium Root Extract

Artemisia absinthium L., is a plant with established pharmacological properties, but the A. absinthium root extract (AARE) remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the chemical composition of AARE and assess its biological activity, which included antidiabetic, antibacterial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. GC-MS was used to analyze the chemical components. The antioxidant activity of the total phenolic and flavonoid content was evaluated. Antibacterial activity and cytotoxic effects were identified. Enzyme inhibition experiments were performed to determine its antidiabetic potential. Molecular docking was utilized to evaluate the potential antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities of the compounds from AARE using Maestro 11.5 from the Schrödinger suite. AARE exhibited moderate antioxidant activity in DPPH (IC50: 172.41 ± 3.15 μg/mL) and ABTS (IC50: 378.94 ± 2.18 μg/mL) assays. Cytotoxicity tests on MCF-7 and HepG2 cancer cells demonstrated significant anticancer effects, with IC50 values of 150.12 ± 0.74 μg/mL and 137.11 ± 1.33 μg/mL, respectively. Apoptotic studies indicated an upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes (caspase-3, 8, 9, Bax) and a downregulation of anti-apoptotic markers (Bcl-2 and Bcl-Xl). AARE also inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase, suggesting potential antidiabetic effects, with IC50 values of 224.12 ± 1.17 μg/mL and 243.35 ± 1.51 μg/mL. Antibacterial assays revealed strong activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Molecular docking and pharmacokinetic analysis identified promising inhibitory effects of key AARE compounds on NADPH oxidase, E. coli Gyrase B, and Topoisomerase IIα, with favorable drug-like properties. These findings suggest AARE’s potential in treating cancer, diabetes, and bacterial infections, warranting further in vivo and clinical studies.

New Sesterterpenes from the Antarctic Sponge Suberites sp.

Chemical investigation of the Antarctic sponge Suberites sp. has previously led to the identification of new suberitane derivatives, some of which show bioactivity toward respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Our ongoing NMR-guided investigation of new specimens of the sponge resulted in the isolation of five new analogs (1–5), previously reported suberitenones A–D (6–9), and oxaspirosuberitenone (10). Suberitenone K (1) was characterized as the 8-keto derivative of 6, while three new phenols, suberitandiol (2), abeosuberitandiol (3), and furanosuberitandiol (4), and the degraded sesterterpene norsuberitenone B (5) were also found. Compound 3 displays a ring contraction while 4 has a new dihydrofuran ring. Structural characterization was achieved by a combination of NMR, HR-MS, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Moderate activity towards RSV was reported for 9 and the new metabolite 1, with IC50 values of 15.0 μM and 39.8 μM, respectively.

Physical Activity Monitoring in Children in the 1-Year After 3 or More Days of Invasive Ventilation: Feasibility of Using Accelerometers.

To measure physical activity in a cohort of children who survived greater than or equal to 3 days of invasive ventilation. Prospective cohort study (2018-2021). Quaternary children's hospital PICU. Children (2-17 yr old) without a preexisting tracheostomy who were ambulatory pre-illness and received greater than or equal to 3 days of invasive ventilation. None. We measured duration and intensity of physical activity using hip- (< 6 yr old) or wrist- (≥ 6 yr old) worn ActiGraph GT3XP-BTLE accelerometers (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL) for 7 days at three timepoints: hospital discharge, 3 months, and 12 months post-discharge. We measured duration of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and nonsedentary activity, both characterized as percent of total awake wear time and total minutes per day. We categorized participants based on when they first attained a "high activity" day defined as greater than or equal to 60 minutes of MVPA or a day with percent of MVPA in the top quartile of all days measured. We evaluated 55 children of whom 43 (78%) had data from greater than or equal to 1 timepoint including 19 (35%) with data from all timepoints. Maximum daily MVPA increased across the three post-discharge timepoints (median, 16.0 min [interquartile range (IQR), 8.0-42.8 min], 48.3 min [27.8-94.3 min], and 68.4 min [34.7-111.0 min], respectively) as did maximum daily percent of awake wear time in MVPA (median, 4.3% [IQR, 2.8-9.0%], 10.1% [5.7-14.4%], and 11.1% [7.1-17.5%], respectively). Of the 43 participants, 27 achieved a high activity day: nine of 43 during the hospital discharge period, 14 of 43 during the 3 months post-discharge period, and four of 43 during the 12 months post-discharge period; 16 of 43 did not demonstrate high activity during the post-discharge year. In the 1-year after PICU discharge measuring physical activity with accelerometers in children 2-17 years old is feasible. Furthermore, demonstration of variable recovery trajectories in our pilot cohort suggests it has potential to be an outcome measure in clinical trials.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Aqueous and Acetone Root Extracts from Cordia dichotoma

The emergence of antibiotic resistance has renewed interest in exploring plant-based antimicrobial compounds. This study investigated the antimicrobial potential of root extracts from Cordia dichotoma, a traditional medicinal plant widely distributed across Asia. Root samples were collected and extracted using two solvents (acetone and distilled water) through both maceration and Soxhlet extraction methods. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolic compounds, glycosides, tannins, and flavonoids across different extracts. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against both Gram-positive (Bacillus pumilus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria using the well diffusion method. The acetone maceration extract demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity with 90% inhibition against both test organisms, showing zones of inhibition of 52.5 mm and 51 mm against B. pumilus and E. coli, respectively. The Soxhlet acetone extract showed moderate activity with 58% inhibition against B. pumilus and 52% against E. coli. Aqueous extracts exhibited comparatively lower antimicrobial activity, with the Soxhlet extract showing 44% inhibition against B. pumilus and 58% against E. coli, while the maceration extract showed 50% and 37% inhibition, respectively. These findings suggest that acetone is a more effective solvent for extracting antimicrobial compounds from C. dichotoma roots, with the maceration process yielding better results than Soxhlet extraction. This study provides scientific validation for the traditional use of C. dichotoma in treating infectious diseases and suggests its potential as a source of novel antimicrobial compounds.

Fructose-mediated AGE-RAGE axis: approaches for mild modulation

Fructose is a valuable and healthy nutrient when consumed at normal levels (≤50 g/day). However, long-term consumption of excessive fructose and elevated endogenous production can have detrimental health impacts. Fructose-initiated nonenzymatic glycation (fructation) is considered as one of the most likely mechanisms leading to the generation of reactive species and the propagation of nonenzymatic processes. In the later stages of glycation, poorly degraded advanced glycation products (AGEs) are irreversibly produced and accumulated in the organism in an age- and disease-dependent manner. Fructose, along with various glycation products—especially AGEs—are present in relatively high concentrations in our daily diet. Both endogenous and exogenous AGEs exhibit a wide range of biological effects, mechanisms of which can be associated with following: (1) AGEs are efficient sources of reactive species in vivo, and therefore can propagate nonenzymatic vicious cycles and amplify glycation; and (2) AGEs contribute to upregulation of the specific receptor for AGEs (RAGE), amplifying RAGE-mediated signaling related to inflammation, metabolic disorders, chronic diseases, and aging. Therefore, downregulation of the AGE-RAGE axis appears to be a promising approach for attenuating disease conditions associated with RAGE-mediated inflammation. Importantly, RAGE is not specific only to AGEs; it can bind multiple ligands, initiating a complex RAGE signaling network that is not fully understood. Maintaining an appropriate balance between various RAGE isoforms with different functions is also crucial. In this context, mild approaches related to lifestyle—such as diet optimization, consuming functional foods, intake of probiotics, and regular moderate physical activity—are valuable due to their beneficial effects and their ability to mildly modulate the fructose-mediated AGE-RAGE axis.

A Comparison of Physical Activity and Exercise Recommendations for Public Health: Inconsistent Activity Messages Are Being Conveyed to the General Public

We examined the similarities and differences between government-supported public health activity recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Health Service (NHS), the Department of Health and Aged Care (DHAC), and one of the most renowned public health activity recommendations, the 10,000 Steps Program. The findings derived from our evaluation suggest a lack of consistency in public health activity recommendations, including the nomenclature used to describe aerobic activity, the amount of time required per week to meet the minimum recommendation for moderate and vigorous activity, and variations in the intensities required to meet aerobic activity recommendations. We also found that moderate-intensity activity (3.0 to less than 6.0 METS) is achieved across the lifespan with normal (i.e., mean), rather than vigorous, walking speeds; this suggests the MET level for moderate-intensity activity may need to be re-examined. The suggested strength activities must also be considered to ensure that the activities maintain or improve strength in the general public. Among the reviewed recommendations, none distinguished between physical activity and exercise, which may contribute to the low levels of exercise participation among the general public. Since exercise is medicine, the most recognized government-supported public health activity recommendations should place a greater emphasis on exercise over physical activity. Moreover, given the low levels of activity in the general public, more care should be given to provide a consistent, clear, and direct message regarding activity recommendations.

Social-Ecological Correlates of Physical Activity Among Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline in Chinese Community: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is an important time window for early prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Regular physical activity (PA) has positive effects on cognitive functions. Little is known about the actual PA levels and social-ecological correlates in people with SCD. This study aimed to describe PA level and examine the individual, interpersonal, and neighborhood environmental correlates of PA among older adults with SCD in the Chinese community. A total of 246 older adults with SCD who participated in community physical examinations in three community health service centers in Baoding City from May to July 2023 were selected as the investigation subjects through convenience sampling. Questionnaires were conducted on PA, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, and community environment of older adults. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to analyze the factors influencing PA in older adults with SCD. Only 25.2% of older adults with SCD were physically active enough. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PA was positively correlated with self-reported health status, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, and community facilities. It was negatively associated with age, income, and overweight/obesity. Factors on three levels were all significantly associated with PA. Interventions that incorporate individual, interpersonal, and social factors may be considered to promote PA in older adults with SCD. However, only a few older adults achieve the goal of 150min/week of moderate activity.

Plantago boissieri: Phytochemical Assessment, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory and Wound Healing Potential.

Plantago is a large genus under family Plantaginaceae. Several Plantago species were noted for potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities. The current research investigated the potential bioactivities as well as the metabolic content of Plantago boisserei extract. Results highlighted the rich content of phenolics (450.93±7.4 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoids (144.2±3.6 mg RE/g extract) in this species. HPLC analysis enabled the detection of 17 phenolic constituents among which ellagic acid was found in highest concentration (52.94 mg/g) followed by rutin (6.72 mg/g). Furthermore, P. boisserei extract exhibited a potent antioxidant activity evidenced by the IC50 values in ABTS and H2O2 assays (10.95 and 10.87 μg/mL, respectively) as well as in TAC assay (67.94 mg AAE/g). The anti-microbial activities of the extract revealed a moderate activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus vulgaris. In vitro testing of the anti-inflammatory potential indicated a characteristic inhibition against COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes with IC50 62.8 and 14.23 μg/mL, respectively, compared to ibuprofen (IC50 8.07 and 6.58, respectively). Additionally, P. boisserei extract achieved a potent wound healing activity using in vivo rat model, this might be attributed to its high content of flavonoids together with other polyphenolic compounds that have a great free radical scavenging potential. In conclusion, P. boisserei is a promising candidate for more extensive phytochemical and biological exploration.

Correlation between Quality of Life and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate with Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Inflammatory markers are crucial in diagnosing and monitoring rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) live with constant pain that limits their daily activities. Our study highlights the effects of disease activity on the quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Swollen joint count (SJC), tender joint count (TJC), and visual activity scale (VAS) were utilized to acquire patients' subjective feelings of wellness and their performance of routine daily activities to determine the disease activity. The patient's erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was measured at the clinical hematology laboratory using the Westergren method. The Quality of Life was rated on a scale of 1 to 10. Our study found that disease activity is inversely proportional to the quality of life. Out of 111 patients, 3 (2.7%) were in remission, 1 (0.9%) had mild disease, 51 (45.9%) had moderate disease, and 56 (50.5%) had high disease activity. The ESR was normal (<20) in 11 patients (9.9%), moderately elevated (20-50) in 56 (50.5%) patients, and very high (>50) in 44 (39.6%) patients. The study revealed that 66% of patients in remission had normal, while 33% had moderately elevated ESR. 12.5% of patients with moderate disease activity had normal ESR, and none with high disease activity had normal ESR. Of 44 patients with high ESR, 7 had moderate disease activity, and 37 had high disease activity. In our study, 60% of patients had a less than 50% quality of life compared to patients with pre-arthritis. High disease activity affects the productivity and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Assessing the impact of different interventions on the QOL should be an essential task that can help define a holistic and integrative treatment and rehabilitation model for RA patients.

Synthesis, characterization, quantum chemical modelling, molecular docking, in silico and in vitro assessment of 3-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl))-1-(thiophen-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one

α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds have extensive applications in various fields, such as organic, inorganic, analytical, and biological. In the modern era, they offer excellent pharmacological application prospects and find widespread use in the pharmaceutical industry. The current study revealed the synthesis and characterization of a novel 3-(2-bromo-5-fluorophenyl)-1-(thiophen-2-yl) prop-2-en-1-one (CY3). In vitro their antimicrobial (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii), antifungal ( Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, and Candida albicans), cytotoxicity (VERO and Hep-G2 cells), in silico, and molecular docking analysis were also performed. The in-silico analysis evaluated the drug-likeness properties of the compound CY3 using various filtering rules, including Lipinski’s, Ghose filter, Veber, Egan, Muegge, and Medicinal Chemistry alerts such as Pan Assay Interference Structures (PAINS), Brenk, and Lead-likeness. Then, molecular docking studies performed using the AutoDock (AD4), Vina, and iGEMDOCK tools to determine the mechanism by which the CY3 compound interact with the bacterial strains. Here, five different receptors were selected, such as DNA gyrase, glucose 6-phosphate synthase (GlmS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), dehydrosqualene synthase (DHSS), and undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase (UDPPS), for molecular docking analysis. The CY3 compound showed a good binding affinity with the two target proteins, DHFR and DHSS, respectively, with maximum binding energies of about − 7.07 and − 7.05 kcal/mol. The synthesized CY3 compound exhibited moderate antibacterial activity with a MIC value > 100 µg/mL against all five bacterial strains and moderate antifungal activity with a MIC value > 50 µg/mL against all three fungal strains. Drug-likeness analyses also support their favourable bioavailability.

Discovery of structurally diverse sesquiterpenoids from Streptomyces fulvorobeus isolated from Elephas maximus feces and their antifungal activities

Thirty-six structurally diverse sesquiterpenoids, including caryolanes (1–12), germacranes (13–16), isodaucane (17), cadinanes (18–22), epicubenols (23, 24), oplopanane (25), pallenanes (26, 27), and eudesmanes (28–36), were isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces fulvorobeus derived from Elephas maximus feces. Pallenane is a kind of rarely reported sesquiterpene with a distinctive C5/C3 bicyclic skeleton and was firstly found from microbial source. The structures of fifteen new compounds (1–4, 13–15, 17, 18, 22, 23, 25–28) were established through detailed spectroscopic data analysis, which included data from experimental and calculated ECD spectra as well as Mosher’s reagent derivative method. Compound 34 exhibited moderate antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii with MIC values of 50 μg/mL. It effectively inhibited biofilm formation and destroyed the preformed biofilm, as well as hindered the adhesion of Cryptococcus species. The current work would enrich the chemical diversity of sesquiterpenoid family.Graphical

Comfort and patient activation in patients with myocardial infarction: A cross-sectional study

AimsTo examine comfort and patient activation, affecting factors, and the relationship between comfort and patient activation in patients with myocardial infarction. BackgroundComfort is an important requirement for managing the treatment and patients' well-being and patient activation improves patient engagement. Assessment of comfort, patient activation and associated factors are important to reduce complications and ensure adherence. MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted between May and August 2023 on 138 patients in the cardiology clinic who met the inclusion criteria. The research data were collected using a Personal Information Form, a General Comfort Scale, and the Patient Activation Measure. ResultsIt was determined that 67.4 % of the patients were male, and the mean age of patients was 55.47 ± 13.59 years. Comfort was found to be moderate and patient activation level was in the first stage in 50.7 % of the patients. A relationship was found between comfort and gender, education status, health perception, hospitalization experience and number, complications, having chronic disease and medication use, source of information and symptoms, while education and employment status, regular exercise, having chronic disease and symptoms affected patient activation. There was a significant, positive correlation between comfort and the patient activation. ConclusionsComfort and patient activation levels of patients with myocardial infarction are related to sociocultural and disease-related factors. Individualized nursing interventions should be planned in line with the affecting factors to increase comfort and patient activation. Also, controlled studies should be conducted in individuals identified as risk groups are important for clinical applications.

Utilization of Ziziphus spina-christi leaf extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles in wastewater treatment and their impact on animal health

Ziziphus leaf extract (ZEX), chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs) and Ziziphus leaf extract loaded chitosan nanoparticles (ZEX-CS NPs) were prepared in this study and after chemical analysis and characterization, they were used in wastewater purification. The study also aimed to establish, using an animal model, the feasibility of employing treated water in drinking applications. ZEX-CS NPs were prepared by ionic gelation method. About 25 male Sprague Dawley rats (10 weeks and 170-200 g) were divided into five groups (5 rats/group): group I received tape water; group II received untreated wastewater, group III received ZEX treated wastewater, group IV received CS NPs treated wastewater and group V received ZEX-CS NPs treated wastewater. ZEX-CS NPs have a size of 73 nm, hydrodynamic size of 85.81 nm and zeta potential of −33.68 mV. In addition, ZEX-CS NPs have stronger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity with moderate anti-coagulant activity and weaker cytotoxicity than ZEX and CS NPs. Group II showed a significant elevation in the kidney function parameters, oxidative stress and cytokine levels when compared to the other groups, in addition; no significant differences were found in all measured parameters between the rats of group I and V. ZEX-CS NPs were effective in wastewater purification.

Preparation, Structural Identification, and Biomedical Evaluation of Some New Complexes

A new nano azo ligand, [2-amino-6-oxo-6,7-dihydro-1H-purin-8-yl)diazenyl)nitrobenzene (AH), and its Ag(I), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes were successfully synthesized and characterized using elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility, molar conductance, and spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, UV-vis, ¹H-NMR), along with thermal analysis. FTIR confirmed the ligand acts as a neutral N,N-bidentate. The metal-to-ligand ratio was determined to be 1:1 for Ag(I) and Zn(II) complexes and 1:2 for the Cu(II) complex. Stability constants and Gibbs free energy, assessed via spectrophotometry, indicated high stability for all complexes. SEM and X-ray diffraction revealed nanoscopic properties for the Ag(I) and Cu(II) complexes. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Candida albicans species showed good efficiency compared to reference drugs. The ligand also exhibited moderate antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay. Additionally, the Zn(II) complex demonstrated effective anti-inflammatory activity, promoting wound healing within 14 days, compared to 16 days with silver sulfadiazine and 18 days without treatment.